Bulletin of Insectology (2019) 72, 143-149

Argyro Kalaitzaki, Sama Awad, Eleni Malandraki, Polyxeni D. Papapetrou, Ioannis Livieratos and John T. Margaritopoulos (2019)
Aphid species composition in populations from citrus orchards in a region of the island of Crete
Bulletin of Insectology 72 (1), 143-149
Abstract: Citrus tristeza virus (CTV) is one of the most serious diseases affecting citrus trees worldwide. CTV is dispersed in the field by various aphid species at different transmission efficiencies. As a result, any information about aphid species composition in citrus orchards is essential for epidemic prognosis and disease management. CTV was firstly detected in Greece in 2000 but, extended information on the prevalence of the aphid species in CTV-infected citrus orchards is currently missing. Here, we report data from an 8-year survey carried out over the last decade on the aphid species frequencies infesting citrus orchards in the only CTV transmission hot-spot (Chania region) of the island of Crete. In 9,500 wingless adult females collected mainly in spring-early summer, five aphid species were recorded, including the second most efficient CTV vector Aphis gossypii Glover, and the less efficient vectors Aphis spiraecola Patch, Aphis aurantii (Boyer de Fonsicolombe), Myzus persicae (Sulzer) and Aphis craccivora Koch. Aphis citricidus (Kirkaldy), the most efficient vector of CTV, was not detected. In all years, the most prevalent species was A. spiraecola (mean frequency 82.5%) followed by A. gossypii (mean frequency 13.5%), which was recorded in six of the eight years of the survey. Both species may play a significant role to the CTV spread in Chania region. As the determination of aphid transmission efficiencies for the prominent CTV isolate (GR-1825) is pending, the current study brings forward a panel of five CTV-aphid vector species in this area. The presence of the relatively efficient vector A. gossypii at low-moderate frequencies, in a CTV hotspot is a matter of concern and while monitoring and eradication of CTV infected trees continues, a first detection of A. citricidus or any increase of the A. gossypii prevalence would have a negative impact on containment measures.
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Database assignments for author(s): John T. Margaritopoulos

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
surveys/sampling/distribution

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Aphis gossypii	Citrus (genus)	Greece
	Myzus persicae	Citrus (genus)	Greece
	Aphis craccivora	Citrus (genus)	Greece
	Aphis spiraecola	Citrus (genus)	Greece